Chapter 115: Chapter 114: The Battle Part 3
(Before we start I would like to apologise for a week's worth of delay. Honestly, my job is extremely tiring physically. Once I'm home, I basically sleep till near afternoon and get ready again to work. Rinse and repeat. Which means it's hard to squeeze out time to write as my life is basically in a mess this past month.
Thank you readers for being understanding and keep on supporting my fic.)
Lightning is often depicted in legend and mythology across the cultures as a divine force of heaven that is used to punish evil. The reason being lightning is the only element of nature which humanity is unable to harness until Nikola Tesla, the King of Invention and the mortal who achieved a feat similar to Prometheus by giving humanity the ability to harness electricity. This made lightning an element that has potent 'Mystery' and a very strong offensive element amongst others.
Upon activating both Melqart and Zeus authority, both gods are same god under two different identity, sky darkened as thick whirlpool of clouds converging on top of Ray while thick arc of golden lightnings saturated with divine power creating fierce thunder resembling an apocalyptic event which left other godslayers speechless at the magnitudes of the authorities he wielded. It's clear to everyone that this is a fight to death. If they keep holding back, they will miss the chance of winning.
Without need to converse, all three Luo Hao, Doni and Godou looked at each other's eyes and nodded before using their strongest authority.
Luo Hao used Dragon's Roar and Tiger's Howl along with her myriad of Kung Fu technique and Mystic Art after closing her gap with the clone using Shuukuchi along with Divine Might of Vajrapani to boost her physical strength and durability. But her initial barrage of fist strikes proved to be less effective which left her dismayed and frustrated even if she hid her expression and emotions well.
Doni's Ripping Silver Arm with Man of Steel combo was more effective when he included rain of sword shaped meteorites to bombard from above the cloud. Multitudes of piercing slash manage to create paper cut wounds on the clone with each slash and the barrage of meteorites keep the clone from fully committed to the battle as it is forced to defend the original while battling which cannot afford to lose focus.
Godou took this opportunity to attack with Ame no Murakumo which imitated Doni's Ripping Silver Arm simultaneously with authority that controlled the storm to boost Ray's lightning authority while also dealing attack to both clones while coordinating with Ray. While at it, Godou sends another White Stallion which he used not too long ago. Since time becomes irrelevant as it can be accelerated or decelerated at will by Ray's allies which allows Godou to refresh his one day cool down just by willing 24 hours had passed.
No matter how strong the clones were, they aren't the original although they are controlled by the original. Their body took too much beating from Ray, his group and the godslayers which caused one of the clones to perish upon being hit by the enhanced lightning bolt barrage and White Stallion.
The original frowned while his sense of the outside world was shut off. He sensed the death of one of the clone and ordered the last clone to abandon attack and instead focus solely to defend him as he almost managed to win the mental battle between him and the World's Will.
Just a little bit more and the victory is in his grasp but another person suddenly appeared as if out of thin air with a determined expression and grimness while staring at the original. Then a dark purple aura burst out his body as he pointed his fist at the original and shot a dark purple energy from his extended arm.
[Secret Demonic Art of The Six Desire: Deprivation of Thought]
The interloper shouted on top of his lungs which shocked both sides but the group from Campione world calmed when they saw this person was helping them.
Luo Hao however is shocked for another reason. She is shocked because this person is using similar yet foreign mystic art as her own which rivals if not more powerful than authorities. Moreover, the interloper is using demonic art rather than righteous daoist art which she remembers destroying when she rose to power as Campione and established the Holy Cult of the Five Mountains because of the extent they go for power and become a menace to her domain.
The demonic cultivator didn't stop at one move and instead dished out the second one as he activated another ability.
[Demonic Art of The Six Desire: Bewitching Temptation of Mara]
Then another…
[Demonic Art of The Six Desire: Inner Demon Invasion]
Each targeting the mind of the original, trying his best to incapacitate the original's mind which is his strongest power and the pillar of his confidence.
The first attack incapacitates the mind, the second lowers the mental defence and the third is the real attack. Yet to the demonic cultivator's dismay, the original held on and endured his strongest combo which made him click his tongue and wonder if he should resort to his last resort, the forbidden art. A double edged sword which is powerful but also demanding a lot from the caster of the demonic art.
Sensing the demonic cultivator's dismay and seeing the opportunity he created, the Campiones group intensified their attack and ignored the clone to attack the original directly.
Barrage of golden and purple lightning rained down from heaven with the intensity of a raging bull. Rains of noble phantasms from Gate of Babylon and Tracing, Mystic Arts, authorities and more. The scene was so catastrophic that it looked like it was the end of the world.
The original took a loss from the concentrated attacks and failed to subjugate the World's Will. All simply because of the demonic cultivator that appeared out of nowhere. If not for the demonic cultivator, the others have no chance to disturb him at all because none of them can injure his mind like the demonic cultivator did.
———
"Ray, are you alright?" Tanya asked while commanding a portion of the Wraiths to target the demonic cultivator to prevent him from using his ability on Ray again.
Ray remains silent as he is focused on defending his mindscape. It wouldn't be an issue normally but because Tanya is also connected to his mindscape at this moment, he has to be very careful or Tanya could be attacked too and will be deadly because her mind strength isn't that great. A mistake on his part to be overconfident despite already having bad feelings prior to the battle about bringing Tanya along. As if the assailant knew his weakness and grasping it well by sending the Mental Demons to keep targeting Tanya instead of him but he can confidently defend both Tanya and himself. Although, the only issue is he cannot command his physical body because his entire focus is in his mindscape.
The situation had distilled down to a stalemate basically. He cannot act because he was defending from the Mental Demons and cannot stop the summoner of these demons. Meanwhile, his attacker from the outside cannot break through his physical defence.
Yet, in such a bleak situation. Ray still remains calm. Why, you ask?
Well, because for Ray even if he is defeated. He just needs to enter the timeline where he won. After all, with the Second Magic, all the fight just now might as well just be him testing the water and gauging his enemy's strength.
Through the last surviving clone, Ray activated the Second Magic which created a barrier that surrounded him and the clone before teleporting into the space where all the planet's memories are recorded, in other word, the specific region of Akashic Record where timelines are recorded.
Being cut off from their summoner, the Mental Demons weakened significantly which allowed Ray to exterminate them instantly and finally able to sigh in relief.
"We are safe?" Tanya asked when Ray made her assume her human form again.
"We were never in danger from the very start as I had planned ahead to leave the moment we encountered trouble. But, Yes. We are safe now." Ray answered while his eyes were scanning the timelines or fragments of the planet's memories in front of his eyes.
Each fragments of the memories playing itself in repeat of the most significant events that created the timeline and each connected by a faint line and endless amounts of these links stretches endlessly like a river, the River of Time. He immediately located the timeline where he invaded the Campione world and saw it only had one path, which is the event where he got stuck in a stalemate and escaped.
The timeline is already splitting into two because of his retreat and the timeline where he escaped had become a dead end without continuation.
"Get ready because we are going for round two. But this time. We already know what to expect." Ray told the confused Tanya while giving her a head pat to pull her back from her thoughts.
"Wait, so. Your previous attacks were just testing the opponents and discovering their powers?" Tanya asked, somewhat angry for some reason.
"Yeah…" Ray nodded.
"You should have told me that earlier. I was worried over nothing." She pouted angrily with her arms crossed on her chest.
"I thought you would easily figure out my intention without needing to talk about it." Ray replied frankly, assuming Tanya would have guessed it herself without needing his words. Which is far from the reality as Tanya was oblivious to his plan.
It's both frustrating and joyous for Tanya that Ray think that highly of her intellect. It's frustrating because most of the time he just proceeds with his plans without telling her much, thinking she can already guess the details herself. Meanwhile, she is joyous because she's been developing an inferiority complex because she has a hard time keeping herself relevant in battle when she is the weakest within the group but being thought highly of by him made her feel very happy. Which is also the reason why she wanted to command the Undying Legion that badly to make herself useful.
Obviously feeling delighted, Tanya struggles to hide her blush by lowering her head and avoiding his gaze. But he misunderstood her actions as being angry because he left her out on the plan. Ray didn't want to talk more in fear of provoking her anger and open the path back in time to force out the second timeline where the outcome is different than the previous timeline where he ended with a stalemate.
———
Once again, Ray along with Tanya arrived at the Campione world. But instead of descending into the world, Ray stood on the moon while looking at Earth in the distance.
"So, what's your plan this time?" Tanya asked curiously and lost the previous blushing face as she put on her 'working' face while also staring at Earth and stood next to him, waiting for his answer.
"Of course, we cripple our enemies first. Giving us as much advantage as possible and cleaning them up in one swoop." Ray replied with his arm crossed in a thoughtful pose before snapping his finger to summon the 72 Demon God Pillars.
"We arrived at your summon, King. Your will is our purpose." The 72 Demon God Pillars chanted, led by Baal as they kneel midair around Ray and Tanya.
"Spare me your flattery. Anyway, your task is to seek and destroy some individuals. The Godslayers, their vassals and most importantly. The other Ray and his group." Ray waved his palm to stop them from starting to sing praises when it isn't needed and gave them their objectives that they have to complete.
"Leave it to us, King. We will dedicate every fibre of our existence to carry out your will." The Demon Gods replied before vanishing into streaks of elements, heading toward Earth meanwhile Ray used this distraction he stirred up to buy time as he will subjugate the World's Will.
None of his enemies will ever see this coming in a million years. Not even with their most relied upon divination power of the Hime-Mikos as they are getting distracted by barrages of visions of the Demon Gods to even notice what Ray is doing behind the commotions he stirred up.
—————
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